Introduction
In the desert of 7th Century Arabia, the Prophet Muhammadpbuh was promised that the message of the Quran would be preserved until the end of time.
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا الذِّکۡرَ وَ اِنَّا لَہٗ لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ
“Verily We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation, and most surely we will be its Guardian.”
This preservation would not just be of the literal text of the Quran, but also its spiritual message. When the Muslims were to go astray, God would send spiritual reformers who would live by its teachings and reform the Muslims.
وَعَدَ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّہُمۡ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ کَمَا اسۡتَخۡلَفَ الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِمۡ ۪ وَ لَیُمَکِّنَنَّ لَہُمۡ دِیۡنَہُمُ الَّذِی ارۡتَضٰی لَہُمۡ وَ لَیُبَدِّلَنَّہُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِہِمۡ اَمۡنًا ؕ یَعۡبُدُوۡنَنِیۡ لَا یُشۡرِکُوۡنَ بِیۡ شَیۡئًا ؕ وَ مَنۡ کَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ ﴿۵۶﴾
“Allah has promised those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors (Caliphs) in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them… He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear.”
The time of greatest need for this would be in the ‘Latter Days.’ In this age, the world would be plunged into spiritual darkness. In this age, that the greatest Caliph of Islam would be raised.
That age is upon us now.
What Does ‘The Hour’ Mean?
In many sayings of the Prophet Muhammadpbuh, the great spiritual revolution of this era would be known as ‘The Hour’. This is an Arabic term (الساعة) that signifies a sudden period of social and spiritual revolution that comes with a great Prophet of God. The Hour the Prophet Muhammadpbuh spoke of would take place in the ‘Latter Days’, an era remote from the time of the revelation of the Quran.
When would this era of great change begin? The Prophet Muhammadpbuh foretold that after him would be three centuries of spiritual prosperity for the Muslims. (The word قَرْنِي in that hadith is best understood as meaning a period lasting a human lifetime, around a century at maximum).
After this time, the Muslims would see a long decline. The Holy Quran informs us of how long this decline would remain:
یُدَبِّرُ الۡاَمۡرَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ اِلَی الۡاَرۡضِ ثُمَّ یَعۡرُجُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗۤ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ ﴿۶﴾
“He will plan the Divine Ordinance from the heaven unto the earth, then shall it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years according to what you reckon.”
Thus the Hour would come three centuries and 1000 years after the time of the Prophet Muhammadpbuh. It would therefore manifest in the 19th and 20th centuries. It would be heralded by the greatest Caliph of Islam.
This Caliph would be the second spiritual manifestation of the Prophet Muhammadpbuh, known as the Imam Mahdi. His appearance was also referred to metaphorically as “Jesus, Son of Mary,” for his role would be to reform the Muslims in the 14th century after the Prophet Muhammadpbuh, just as Jesus came to reform the Jews in 14th century after Moses. The Jewish Messiah has of course passed away, and the likeness is only symbolic:
وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوۡلٌ ۚ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِ الرُّسُلُ ؕ
“And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, all Messengers have passed away before him.”
You can read more about the evidence of the Quran and ahadith that Jesus has already passed away on this page.
Though the phrase ‘Judgment Day’ is more in Christian idiom, the Quran also refers to this period of spiritual revival as a ‘Resurrection.’ But it would be a mistake to think that this all means that the world is literally about to end.
Rather, this period is destined to be the ‘last day,’ where a day signifies a thousand years. Thus we can expect a long period of spiritual and material prosperity, where Islam becomes the dominant faith, and peace reigns over the Earth.
However, getting to this point would require tumultuous changes in the world. It would also require the sacrifices of devoted Muslims, seeking to peacefully spread the message of Islam to all peoples in our global society.
Please note all Quran references will be using a numbering system that takes ‘bismilliah’ as verse 1. In many Qurans, 3:145 will be 3:144, etc…
Signs of the Latter Days
The Holy Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammadpbuh give many signs of the era of the Promised Messiah, such as:
- The spiritual degeneration of Muslims
- The appearance of the ‘Anti-Christ’
- New forms of transport, new technology, and new social norms
- The gathering of the Jewish people in one state (Israel)
- The eclipse of the Sun & Moon in Ramadan
- The Plague
This, and much more would occur in the time of the Promised Messiah. They will all be explained below.
As for the identity of the Promised Messiah, Ahmadi Muslims believe that the Messiah and Imam Mahdi was Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, India, who lived from 1835-1908, and founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The reasons for this will be given later in this article.
The Spiritual Degeneration of Muslims
وَ قَالَ الرَّسُوۡلُ یٰرَبِّ اِنَّ قَوۡمِی اتَّخَذُوۡا ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ مَہۡجُوۡرًا
“And the Messenger will say, ‘O my Lord, my people indeed treated this Qur’an as a discarded thing.’”
Without constant guidance from spiritual reformers, divine communities go astray. Throughout Islamic history, reformers have been sent by God to reform the Muslims. However, the Quran and the traditions prophesy of a time when ungodly forces would be at their height, leading to great spiritual degeneracy:
“يوشك أن يأتي على الناس زمان لا يبقى من الإسلام إلاّ اسمه، ولا من القرآن إلاّ رسمه؛ مساجدهم عامرة، وهي خراب من الهدى. علماؤهم شرّ من تحت أديم السماء. من عندهم تخرج الفتنة، وفيهم تعود.”
“There will come a time upon the people when nothing will remain of Islam except its name only and nothing will remain of the Quran except its inscription. Their mosques will be splendidly furnished but destitute of guidance. Their divines will be the worst people under the heaven and strife will issue from them, and avert to them.”
– Prophet Muhammad pbuh – Mishkatul Masabih
The current state of the wider Muslim world clearly accords with this stunning prophecy.
The Appearance of the Anti-Christ (Dajjāl)
Warnings of the Dajjāl, or Anti-Christ, feature prominently in the prophecies of the Latter Days. In the traditions, the Holy Prophetpbuh says that there is no Prophet who has not warned his people about the Dajjāl of the Latter Days, as it will be the greatest spiritual threat mankind has ever faced.
At the same time, there seems to be no mention of the Dajjāl in the Holy Qur’an.
How could this be? Why has the Qur’an not warned us about the Dajjāl if it is to be such a grave threat that a Prophet would be raised in the Latter Days to oppose it? Rather than finding mentions of the Dajjāl, we find ample mention in the Holy Qur’an of Gog and Magog, and of the Christian creed re-emerging as a great power in the Latter Days.
These phenomena all seem to be linked. For instance, while describing the Dajjāl, the Holy Prophetpbuh advised Muslims to recite the opening and closing verses of Surah Al-Kahf for protection. These verses speak of nothing but Christianity, and the chapter itself ends with a description of the resurgence of the Christian people.
Moreover, in the great prayer of Surah Al-Fatiha, Muslims are warned not to take the path of ‘those who have gone astray.’ The Holy Prophetpbuh explained that this path was the path of the Christians. In addition, we find numerous mentions in the traditions of the advent of a Messiah to ‘break the Cross’. This again indicates that Christianity would rise to prominence in the Latter Days.
So why does the Qur’an warn of Christianity’s rise in the Latter Days, while the traditions warn of the Dajjāl?
The answer given by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas was that these two phenomena were the same.
The Dajjāl was a manifestation of Satanic forces, which would find its greatest vessel in the Christian civilisation of the Latter Days.
The ideology that this civilisation would spread would be apparently divine, though in reality it would be satanic. It would drive people away from the One God to a multitude of other gods. Wrote Ahmadas:
“Dajjāl in fact is none other than the people known as Christian missionaries and European philosophers. They act like the two jaws of the Promised Dajjāl with which he devours people’s faith like a python. First it is the common and ignorant people who get caught in the wiles of the missionaries; and then, those who happen to escape their clutches being disgusted with the disgraceful and false beliefs, are caught in the net of the European philosophers. I see that the common people are more vulnerable to the lies of the clergy, whereas the intellectual ones are more susceptible to the falsehood spread by the philosophers.”
Essence of Islam, Vol. 3, pg. 281
This interpretation is even further supported by the lexical meaning of the Dajjāl, which literally means ‘a party of deceivers.’ Thus it explains that the great ungodly civilisation of the Latter Days would be based on deceit and falsehood to an unprecedented degree. The fantastical nature of the Dajjāl described in the traditions in reality constitute prophecies of the Dajjāl’s nature and achievements.
First, the Dajjāl is described as a single person. Hazrat Ahmadas was given insight into this by divine intimation:
“As to the Antichrist, now listen, I will explain to you the reality on the basis of the clear and pure revelation that I have received…. Then understand, my dear ones, that it has been disclosed to me that the reference to the Antichrist as one individual is not designed to indicate his personal individuality, but his unity as a species, meaning thereby that in that species there will be a unity of ideas as is, indeed, indicated by the word dajjāl [Antichrist] itself and in this name there are many Signs for those who reflect.
The meaning of the word dajjāl is a chain of deceptive ideas, the links of which are so attached to each other as if it was a structure of equal-sized bricks of the same colour, quality and strength, some of them firmly overlapping others and further strengthened by being plastered from outside.”
Tadhkirah, pg. 290
The Dajjāl is therefore described as a single individual to signify a unity of deceptive ideas. The many other descriptions of the Dajjāl also have deep spiritual meanings. They can be found in this hadith particularly, and in this chapter of Sahih Muslim generally.
The Dajjāl is described as being blind in the right eye, while the left eye sees into the ground and brings out its treasures. Blindness in the right eye signifies spiritual blindness. Having a left eye that sees into the ground and brings out its treasures indicates insight into worldly sciences, affairs, and an extraction of hidden resources buried in the Earth.
The Dajjāl is described as carrying a ‘sword and blood on left and right’ indicates that this civilisation will be the cause of much murder in the world.
It is said that ‘one of its days will be like a year, the rest like a week, and the others like average days.’ The differing length of days indicates the spread of this civilisation across the Earth, even to its extremities where the alternation of day and night becomes prolonged.
It is also said that the Dajjāl would have the word ‘disbeliever’ inscribed on his forehead which both the literate and illiterate could read. This means that both through its words and its actions people will see that this civilisation would be a great enemy of the One God.
These prophecies have evidently been fulfilled in the modern era. Christian civilisation has spread all over the world. While Muslims support the moral message of Jesus, peace be upon him, given in the Gospels, they reject the doctrines of Trinity, atonement and resurrection created by St. Paul. It is these doctrines that constitute modern Christianity. On the other hand, western philosophers spread falsity in another way, through promoting philosophical materialism, and thus taking people away from God via an atheistic route.
While Muslims must show compassion and goodwill to all people, they must also work, through prayers and peaceful actions, to free human beings from being encompassed by false ideologies.
Gog and Magog
حَتّٰۤی اِذَا فُتِحَتۡ یَاۡجُوۡجُ وَ مَاۡجُوۡجُ وَ ہُمۡ مِّنۡ کُلِّ حَدَبٍ یَّنۡسِلُوۡنَ ﴿۹۷
وَ اقۡتَرَبَ الۡوَعۡدُ الۡحَقُّ فَاِذَا ہِیَ شَاخِصَۃٌ اَبۡصَارُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا ؕ یٰوَیۡلَنَا قَدۡ کُنَّا فِیۡ غَفۡلَۃٍ مِّنۡ ہٰذَا بَلۡ کُنَّا ظٰلِمِیۡنَ ﴿۹۸
“And it is an inviolable law for a township which We have destroyed that they shall not return. It shall be so even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they shall hasten forth from every height. And the true promise draws nigh; then behold, the eyes of those who disbelieve will fixedly stare and they will say, ‘Alas for us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, we were wrongdoers!’”
As mentioned above, while the Quran does not mention the Dajjāl by name, it does refer to the Christian civilisation emerging once again, and also to Yaʾjūj (Gog) and Maʾjūj (Magog) becoming ascendant. In the long tradition of Sahih Muslim, largely paraphrased in the previous section, we are warned of the ascendance of the Dajjāl in the time of the Messiah. However, in the same hadith we are suddenly told of the chaos that Gog and Magog are spreading. Indeed, many traditions use these two labels synchronously or interchangeably.
We can therefore infer that Dajjāl, and ‘Gog and Magog’ refer to different aspects of the same underlying phenomenon.
To understand the true interpretation of these names, Hazrat Ahmad analysed the words Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj themselves:
“Since Ajij, from which the words Gog and Magog are derived, means ‘fire’, God Almighty has disclosed to me that Gog and Magog are a people who are greater experts in the use of fire than any other people. Their very names indicate that their ships, trains and machines will be run by fire. They will fight their battles with fire. They will excel all other people in harnessing fire to their service. This is why they will be called Gog and Magog. These are the people of the West, as they are unique in their expertise in the use of fire. In Jewish scriptures too it was the people of Europe who were described as Gog and Magog. Even the name of Moscow, which is the ancient capital of Russia, is mentioned [‘Meschech’, Ezekiel 39:1]. Thus it was preordained that the Promised Messiah would appear in the time of Gog and Magog.”
“On the one hand, it is proved from the Bible that the Christians of Europe are Gog and Magog, and, on the other, the Holy Qur’an has mentioned specific signs concerning Gog and Magog which can only be applied to European powers, as, for instance, it is written that they will scale every height, i.e., they will overcome all other powers and be supreme in all worldly matters. Similarly, it is also mentioned in the Ahadith that no country will be able to stand up to them. Thus it is conclusively established that these powers are Gog and Magog. To deny this is sheer obstinacy and opposition to God’s Word. Who can deny that in accordance with the Word of God Almighty and the explanation of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), these are the people who, in their worldly power, are superior to every other people. They have no equal in the art of war and statecraft. Their inventions and machines have established new patterns, both in war and in worldly comforts and luxuries. They have brought about an amazing revolution in the culture of mankind and have displayed such mastery in statecraft and in providing equipment for war and peace, as has no parallel since the creation of the world.”
Essence of Islam, Volume 3, Chapter 9
Thus while Dajjāl refers to the ideological aspects of the Latter Day Christian Civilisation, Gog and Magog refer to their political and military aspects. The names prophesy that the political power of this civilisation will split into two opposing factions, both wielding fire to immense use.
Indeed history has borne witness to this. Western civilisation as a whole is marked by its extensive firepower, capable of productive industry and destructive weaponry on a scale previously unimaginable. It has split into two broad groups, initially emerging as the Communist and the Capitalist axes.
“Behold, I am against thee, O Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal”
Bible, Ezekiel 38:3
Gog is here described as the chief prince of Meschech and Tubal, meaning Moscow and Tobalsk, the latter being a Russian town. Gog therefore stands for the Russian bloc, labouring under Communism for so long, while Magog refers to America and her allies. The prophecy of the Quran has been fulfilled by their geopolitical rivalry spanning the entire globe over the 20th century.
While Magog is not referred to favourably in prophecies, Gog is singled out as an anti-religious force that would be destroyed by Divine intervention directly. This was fulfilled by the sudden collapse of Communism in 1989. However the two blocs led by the US and Russia remain, and the long shadow of the cold war remains.
A nuclear Sword of Damocles hangs over their heads, ‘hanging by the slenderest of threads.’
New Forms of Travel
Do we have any other evidence that the prophecies of Dajjal, Gog and Magog have found fulfillment in the modern day?
Indeed we do. The Quran and the Prophet Muhammadpbuh foretold that these Christian states would bring with them new forms of travel.
وَ اِذَا الۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡ
“When the she-camels, ten months pregnant, are abandoned.”
وَاللَّهِ لَيَنْزِلَنَّ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ حَكَمًا عَادِلاً فَلَيَكْسِرَنَّ الصَّلِيبَ وَلَيَقْتُلَنَّ الْخِنْزِيرَ وَلَيَضَعَنَّ الْجِزْيَةَ وَلَتُتْرَكَنَّ الْقِلاَصُ فَلاَ يُسْعَى عَلَيْهَا
“The son of Mary will certainly descend as an arbiter, he will certainly break the cross… he would abandon the young she-camel and no one would endeavour to claim wealth tax on it.” Prophet Muhammad pbuh – Sahih Muslim, Book 1 #298
These prophecies were made at a time when industrial forms of travel could not be conceived. More details are recorded in the books of tradition like Sahih Muslim and Kanzul Ummul. The transportation of the Anti-Christ was symbolically referred to as a donkey, one with remarkable capabilities:
- It would travel ‘like a cloud being driven by wind’
- Its length would be ‘60 yards’
- The Earth would be ‘folded up for it’
- The sea would be ‘ankle-deep’ for it
- It would ‘precede the sun to its place of setting’
- It would bear ‘mountains of goods’ on its back.
These clearly refer to trains, planes and ships which travel at extraordinary speeds, can cross the globe in less than a day, and carry huge loads of cargo.
New World Events
The cataclysmic events of the modern day also testify to the truth of this interpretation. The Prophet Muhammadpbuh foretold of a time…
لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَقْتَتِلَ فِئَتَانِ عَظِيمَتَانِ، يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُمَا مَقْتَلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، دَعْوَتُهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ،
“When two great powers will fight each other, and there will be a great many casualties; their religion will be the same.” – 1Sahih Bukhari #7121
This has been fulfilled through WW1 and WW2.
أَنْ تَلِدَ الأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا
“When the slave woman gives birth to her mistress” – Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1
This refers to an age of social revolutions such as that of the Communists — when old aristocracies will fall and new social classes will emerge.
وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبِنَاءِ
“When you see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing in constructing tall buildings” – Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1
This has come to pass with the discovery of oil in the Gulf States. They are now famous for their high-rise buildings that have appeared within a single generation.
وَيَكْثُرَ الْهَرْجُ وَهْوَ الْقَتْلُ
“When killing will increase.” – Sahih Bukhari #7121
This era has seen unprecedented killing, both within Arab countries, and the world as a whole. Over 250 million people are estimated to have been killed by state-warfare in the 20th century.
New Technology
The Prophetpbuh also described many features of the modern world, whose fulfillment today is startling. He said the Latter Days will come when:
يُعْزَفُ عَلَى رُءُوسِهِمْ بِالْمَعَازِفِ
“… Musical instruments and singing girls will be on their heads.” – Ibn Majah #4020
وَتُخْبِرَهُ فَخِذُهُ بِمَا أَحْدَثَ أَهْلُهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ
“A man’s thigh will tell him what has occurred at his home after he has left” – Tirmidhi #2181
إِنَّ مِنْ أَعْلَامِ السَّاعَةِ وَأَشْرَاطِهَا أَنْ تُوَاصِلَ الأَطْبَاقُ
“Dishes will communicate with each other.” – Tabarani, Book of Tribulations
These have been fulfilled through headphones, smartphones, and satellite television.
The Creation of the State of Israel
The Latter Days were also noted to have arrived with the emergence of the State of Israel.
وَّ قُلۡنَا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ لِبَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ اسۡکُنُوا الۡاَرۡضَ فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ جِئۡنَا بِکُمۡ لَفِیۡفًا ﴿۱۰۵﴾ؕ
“And after him [Pharoah] We said to the children of Israel, ‘Dwell ye in the land; and when the time of the promise of the latter days comes, We shall bring you together out of various peoples.’”
Campaigning by Zionist activists for a State of Israel in the Holy Land began in earnest in the 19th Century.
It secured one of its greatest victories with the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Then founded in 1948, Israel acts as a self-proclaimed home for Jews worldwide.
This unlikely event is a manifest fulfilment of the Quran’s prophecy. But the Quran also advises the Muslims that the Holy Land will be theirs again, when they turn back to God.
وَ لَقَدۡ کَتَبۡنَا فِی الزَّبُوۡرِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ الذِّکۡرِ اَنَّ الۡاَرۡضَ یَرِثُہَا عِبَادِیَ الصّٰلِحُوۡنَ ﴿۱۰۶﴾ اِنَّ فِیۡ ہٰذَا لَبَلٰغًا لِّقَوۡمٍ عٰبِدِیۡنَ ﴿۱۰۷﴾ؕ
“And already have We written in the Book of David, after the exhortation, that My righteous servants shall inherit the land. Herein, surely, is a message for people who worship God.”
The Smoke (Al-Dukhān)
فَارۡتَقِبۡ یَوۡمَ تَاۡتِی السَّمَآءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿ۙ۱۱﴾ یَّغۡشَی النَّاسَ ؕ ہٰذَا عَذَابٌ اَلِیۡمٌ ﴿۱۲﴾
“Then watch for the day when the sky will bring forth a manifest smoke, that will cast a shadow upon people. This will be a painful suffering..”
The Holy Quran prophesies the emergence of a smoke in the Latter Days that will cause people torment. The Prophet Muhammadpbuh also foretold this as a sign of the latter days.
اَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ عَشْرُ آيَاتٍ الدَّجَّالُ وَالدُّخَانُ وَطُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا
“The Hour will not begin until there are ten signs [including]: Dajjāl, the smoke, and the rising of the sun from the west.” – Sunan Ibn Majah #4041
The smoke is described in detail in the Quran:
اِنۡطَلِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی مَا کُنۡتُمۡ بِہٖ تُکَذِّبُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۳۰﴾ اِنۡطَلِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی ظِلٍّ ذِیۡ ثَلٰثِ شُعَبٍ ﴿ۙ۳۱﴾ لَّا ظَلِیۡلٍ وَّ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ مِنَ اللَّہَبِ ﴿ؕ۳۲﴾ اِنَّہَا تَرۡمِیۡ بِشَرَرٍ کَالۡقَصۡرِ ﴿ۚ۳۳﴾ کَاَنَّہٗ جِمٰلَتٌ صُفۡرٌ ﴿ؕ۳۴﴾
“’Now move towards what you have been denying, move on towards a three-pronged shadow, neither affording shade, nor protecting from the blaze. It throws up flames like huge castles, as though the castles were dusky yellow camels.”
This smoke will have a three-pronged shadow, throwing up huge yellow castles of smoke. This itself will be the torment, rather than a source of shade.
These warnings have found fulfillment in the initial blast and radioactive fallout of nuclear weapons.
You can read more about this important topic here.
The Advent of the Messiah
At this time, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi was foretold to have come. His physical description was given by the Prophet Muhammadpbuh when he was describing the Messiah of the Latter Days:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ، أَلاَ إِنَّ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ أَعْوَرُ الْعَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى، كَأَنَّ عَيْنَهُ عِنَبَةٌ طَافِيَةٌ ”. ” وَأَرَانِي اللَّيْلَةَ عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ فِي الْمَنَامِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ آدَمُ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا يُرَى مِنْ أُدْمِ الرِّجَالِ، تَضْرِبُ لِمَّتُهُ بَيْنَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ، رَجِلُ الشَّعَرِ، يَقْطُرُ رَأْسُهُ مَاءً، وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبَىْ رَجُلَيْنِ وَهْوَ يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ. فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا فَقَالُوا هَذَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ.
“While sleeping near the Ka`ba last night, I saw in my dream a man of brown colour the best one can see amongst brown color and his hair was long that it fell between his shoulders. His hair was lank and water was dribbling from his head and he was placing his hands on the shoulders of two men while circumambulating the Ka`ba. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘This is Jesus, son of Mary.’”Prophet Muhammad pbuh – Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Prophets #3439
This is different to his description of the Jewish Messiah:
رَأَيْتُ عِيسَى وَمُوسَى وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَأَمَّا عِيسَى فَأَحْمَرُ جَعْدٌ عَرِيضُ الصَّدْرِ،
“I saw Moses, Jesus and Abraham [in a state of vision]. Jesus was of red complexion, curly hair and a broad chest.” – 2 Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Prophets #3438
This tells us that the second coming of Jesus was spiritual and not literal. The Prophet Muhammadpbuh described the future Messiah as being ‘from among the people of the Persian Empire. (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, #4897’ ) He also said that he would come from the ‘East of Damascus’. (Sunan Abu Dawud, #4321 )
So who is the Messiah? Has he already come?
Indeed he has. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, fulfilled all of these descriptions perfectly. His skin was light brown and he had long hair. He came from Qadian in India, which is exactly east of Damascus. His heritage hailed from Indo-Chinese Mughal stock, a part of the Persian Empire at the time of the Prophet Muhammadpbuh. Today, his community numbers in the tens of millions, united under the hand of his successors.
His signs were numerous, and the many fulfilled signs above testified to his truth. There are other ones specifically about his advent, relating to the meaning of ‘Descent,’ the ‘Breath of the Messiah’, the ‘Gate of Ludd,’ and more. These have already been covered on our sister website, True Islam, here.
For now, we will discuss the four principal signs of his truth that Hazrat Ahmadas gave in his book Need for the Imam.
1) His mastery over Arabic: without formal training in advanced Arabic, Hazrat Ahmad wrote many books in Arabic, of such quality as to be a great sign to the Arabic world. Hundreds of thousands of Arabs have joined his ranks in recent times, and the Arabic website of his community is found here.
2) His Commentary of the Holy Quran: even his opponents admitted that his understanding of the inner meanings of the Quran were matchless. Such insight can only be given by God Himself.
3) The abundant acceptance of his prayers: his whole life contained many, public evidences of the acceptance of prayers. Engaging in numerous prayer duels with his opponents, the entire world came to see that God was with him.
4) His knowledge of the unseen: the prophecies of Hazrat Ahmadas, are well known. From prophecying the qualities of his revolutionary son, the exceptional circumstances of death of Hindu leader Lekh Ram, the plague’s arrival in Northern India, or World War 1, his knowledge of the future must have hailed from God Himself.
Perusing his literature and exploring his life will substantiate these claims. A good starting-point is his exceptional book, The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam. An extended summary of his claims and theological evidence can be found here. You can also watch a documentary about him here.
The Eclipse of the Sun and the Moon
Throughout Islamic history, it has been widely known that the double eclipse of the sun and moon on specific dates in Ramadan was a unique sign of the Imam Mahdi and Promised Messiah. Without this sign manifesting in the lifetime of Ahmadas , the signs of his truth remained incomplete.
یَسۡـَٔلُ اَیَّانَ یَوۡمُ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ ؕ﴿۷﴾ فَاِذَا بَرِقَ الۡبَصَرُ ۙ﴿۸﴾ وَ خَسَفَ الۡقَمَرُ ۙ﴿۹﴾ وَ جُمِعَ الشَّمۡسُ وَ الۡقَمَرُ ۙ﴿۱۰﴾
“He asks, ‘When will be the Day of Resurrection?’ When the eye is dazzled, and the moon is eclipsed, and the sun and moon are brought together.’”
“إن لمهدينا آيتين، لم تكونا منذ خلق السموات والأرض. ينخسف القمر لأوّل ليلة من رمضان، وتنكسف الشمس في النصف منه.”
“For Our Mahdi there are two Signs which have never appeared before since the creation of the heavens and the earth, namely the moon will be eclipsed on the first night in Ramadan and the sun will be eclipsed on the middle of it (the same month), and these Signs have not appeared since God created the heavens and the Earth.” Prophet Muhammadpbuh – Dar Qutni
In 1894, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas published a tract, Nur-ul-Haq, with a prayer beseeching God:
“Please send thy succour for me from the heavens and help Thy servant in this time of adversity.”
Later that year, his prayer was manifestly answered. In the month of Ramadan in 1894, the lunar eclipse occurred on the 13th of Ramadan (March 21, 1894), and the solar eclipse on Friday, 28 Ramadan (April 6, 1894). This was visible all over the Eastern Hemisphere.
Not only did the eclipses occur on precisely the foretold days, but they repeated themselves in 1895 in the Western Hemisphere.
This was conclusive proof of Hazrat Ahmad’sas claim to be the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi. You can read more about it here.
The Insect of the Earth
وَ اِذَا وَقَعَ الۡقَوۡلُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ اَخۡرَجۡنَا لَہُمۡ دَآبَّۃً مِّنَ الۡاَرۡضِ تُکَلِّمُہُمۡ ۙ اَنَّ النَّاسَ کَانُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا لَا یُوۡقِنُوۡنَ
“And when the sentence is passed against them, we shall bring out from the Earth an insect which shall wound them because they did not believe in our Signs.”
“لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَرَوْا عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ طُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا وَيَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَالدَّابَّةُ…”
“The Hour shall not be established until you see… the Insect of the Earth.”
Prophet Muhammad pbuh – Tirmidhi #2183
One of the primary signs of the Latter Days would be the appearance of an insect from the Earth that would greatly harm those who disbelieved in the Messiah.
In accordance with Divine Guidance, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas was informed that this insect was manifested in the fleas carrying the Plague, Yersinia Pestis. It would be a sign of Ahmad’sas truth and a punishment to a society that had disbelieved in him.
At the turn of the 20th Century, in accordance with Ahmad’sas warnings, the Third Plague Pandemic broke out in India, claiming over 10 million lives. Fear and panic consumed British India.
Not only did Ahmadas foretell its arrival, but he claimed that his own self, his family, and his true followers would be saved from this pandemic. Each year saw that claim prove true, and hundreds of thousands joined his fold.
You can read more about this remarkable sign here and here.
The Sun Will Rise From the West
“ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ وَرَآهَا النَّاسُ آمَنُوا أَجْمَعُونَ”
“The Hour will not be established until the sun will rise from the west.”
Prophet Muhammad pbuh – Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 6, Book 60, #16
The Prophet Muhammadpbuh foretold that the spiritual revolution of the Latter Days would not occur until the ‘sun rises from the west.’
A literal fulfillment of this sign contradicts the physical laws God has created. Like the other signs, it is metaphorical. In fact, the Prophet of Islam is himself described as a ‘radiant sun’ in the Quran. Thus the real meaning of this prophecy is that the sun of Islam will rise in the west in the Latter Days.
This is happening through the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which has led pioneering missionary activities in the UK, the USA and other western countries. The first missionary to the USA was an Ahmadi Muslim, and London’s first mosque was built by the community. The first mosque built in 600 years in Spain, likewise, was built by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Currently, the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadatba, resides in Surrey, UK.
Thus for the first time in human history, the western people of the world are receiving the blessings of Islam.
You can follow the progress of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadatba here.
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The definition of the Dajaal as rendered by Hazrat Ahmad may find fulfillment in the words of Jeremy Rifkin. First, the definition by Hazrat Ahmad, then I’ll follow that with Rifkin’s words:
“As to the Antichrist, now listen, I will explain to you the reality on the basis of the clear and pure revelation that I have received…. Then understand, my dear ones, that it has been disclosed to me that the reference to the Antichrist as one individual is not designed to indicate his personal individuality, but his unity as a species, meaning thereby that in that species there will be a unity of ideas as is, indeed, indicated by the word dajjāl [Antichrist] itself and in this name there are many Signs for those who reflect.
“The meaning of the word dajjāl is a chain of deceptive ideas, the links of which are so attached to each other as if it was a structure of equal-sized bricks of the same colour, quality and strength, some of them firmly overlapping others and further strengthened by being plastered from outside.”
Rifkin:
“…Analytical and rational modes of thinking, mechanistic views of nature, reducing phenomena to purely quantifiable standards of measurement, the neutrality of science, knowledge as power, self-interest as the motivating force in history, the invisible hand of the market-place, and utilitarianism are among the critical intellectual assumptions that, together, provide a unified schema for the modern notion of an autonomous, secular existence.” (Jeremy Rifkin, Biosphere Politics: A New Consciousness for a New Century (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1991) p. 2
Perhaps Ahmad’s “chain of deceptive ideas” has now been identified, by Rifkin, in the list of “critical intellectual assumptions” that he terms “a unified schema.” The attempt to identified The Dajaal as symbolically representing two peoples may have been perfectly legitimate. I do not know the ORDER of Hazrat Ahmad’s thoughts, or revelations, in this regards.
But, if his thoughts description of The Dajaal is one that developed, over a period of time, upon more and more reflection, or more receipt of revelation, then I would take the guess that his “chain of deceptive ideas” description was the most highly-developed description, higher than the pinning of the description of The Dajaal to the Capitalists and the Communists; to a people identified as Gog & Magog.
Of course, ideas have no meaning, I suppose, if they have no tangible expression through human entities. Nevertheless, I prefer the “chain of deceptive ideas” definition of The Dajaal, rather than the “Gog & Magog,” Communism vs. Capitalism definition.
Oh, by the way: I am truly not certain that I want religion to be RATIONAL. 🙂
When the Ottoman Empire was in decline, the Muslims began to feel a sense of inferiority vis-a-vis the “rational West,” perhaps expressed most poignantly by the rise of the British Empire. The shock, within the Muslim world (particularly amongst Muslim intellectuals), of the decline of Muslim empire created a feeling of inferiority within the Muslim psyche.
The technological advantages of the West pointed to a “rationalism” that caused Muslims to go on a FOREVER attempt to “prove” to Euro-Christians (as well as to Muslims themselves) that, “ISLAM IS RATIONAL TOO!!!” Ever since then, Muslims have adopted what I consider to be a pitiful attempt to “prove,” to Western people, that Islam is “rational.” I find this close to disgusting, quite frankly. But I also find it dangerous. Why dangerous?
The quest to “be equal to” Euro-Christian “civilization” has led to such competitive striving as the creation of the “Islamic bomb,” the nuclear weapons produced by Pakistan. I will never forget the video of wild-eyed Pakistanis, in the streets of Lahore, shouting, “WE HAVE BOMB!!!” when Pakistan developed its first nuclear weapon, adding itself to the…ahem…”rational” list of nations that had developed weapons capable of destroying all life on earth, plant, insect, animal, and human.
The inner dimension of the human entity, such as intuition, is submerged, if not destroyed, under the glorification of rationalism; the glorification of the rational mind. Another expression of this INFERIORITY COMPLEX of Muslims, in our insistence on attempting to prove that we are “equal” [to the One-Eyed Dajaal?!] is the Cartesian approach used in the field of medicine, an approach that views the human bodymind complex as composed of individual, almost non-related parts–as a MACHINE.
Also, if I told you that my wife, who is a BodyTalk Practitioner, uses “distance healing” techniques to cure clients, who live 800 miles away from us, of their ailments, would that amount, in your mind, to the use of the “rational” approach used in allopathic medicine? We live in the Chicago area. Her client lives in Virginia.
I too am a BodyTalk Practitioner. And the techniques I used might be described, by the allopathic (medical) profession as “non-rational.” If I told you that you have, within you, an “Innate Wisdom” that I can “read” WITHIN MYSELF; within my own Innate Wisdom, which is a localized form of Universal Consciousness, does that sound “rational” to you?”
We Muslims will MISS OUT on what I believe to be on the horizon [No, what is here NOW]: The development, at least since the 1990s, and continuing, of modalities based on aspects of the inner dimension of the human entity that is suppressed in our world of rationality. If I told you [UH OH!!] that, from my home in the Chicago area, I created a sandstorm in Libya, in 2011:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tazrpK8gsD0&t=0s
and that, including myself, there are three witnesses that, the day after I performed an “irrational,” self-invented ritual that was designed to create that sandstorm, that sandstorm actually came into being, what would you say? Well, not much. Because, for one thing, I cannot prove that I did so. But, for another thing, what I would be telling you would be……irrational. 🙂 And, were I to tell you that, when I created that sandstorm, it was NOT because Almighty Allah Revealed to me that I am a Prophet (and He did not), how would you view me?
By the way, the men driving away from that standstorm are not Qaddafi’s men being driven away, as the caption seems to imply. Those are “the rats,” as Brother Leader Colonel Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi called them. They are the jihadis and taqfiris who were fighting against the LDF (Libyan Defense Forces). I was against those jihadis and taqfiris, so I created the ritual to drive them away. Unfortunately, I could not sustain the two hours, each night, of performing the ritual that was designed to use nature to help turn the tide back in favor of the Jamahiriya.
“Hmmmm,” you’re thinking, “this man is a NUT!!” I signed biat under Khalifatul Masih III, razi allaho anho, in the year 1976, no doubt before any of you monitoring this site were born. I have lived a lot of life. I have done what Rasoolulah said: “Seek knowledge, even if it means crawling on your hands and knees to China.” But, one does not HAVE to crawl to China to seek knowledge. One can also seek knowledge from WITHIN ONESELF.
I encourage you to study BodyTalk. I encourage you to study, and master, BodyTalk. I encourage you to study BodyTalk. Three times I have said it, as Rassolulah, sws, would repeat himself to emphasize the importance of what he was attempting to impart. Within the BodyTalk sequence of courses, there is a course called MindScape. You can also learn how to perform remote BodyTalk sessions with clients, and resolve their health issues. Unless things have changed, you only need two courses, held on weekends, to become a BodyTal Practitioners:
BodyTalk Fundamentals 1 and 2, both held on ONE weekend. But it is strongly recommended that you also take:
MindScape
Principles of Consciousness
Advanced BodyTalk Protocols and Procedures.
When you take BodyTalk Fundamentals, you will read about the advances in Quantum Physics, but as applied to BodyTalk. It’s not difficult at all. Now math or “rational” science is involved, except that you understand what is going on, such as the idea of collapsing probablities and possibilities, as a function of the “top-down” understanding of how things are created; of YOUR power to create.
Are we not told, as Muslims, that we have the power to “imitate the Attributes of Allah?” And, is not one Attribute of Allah, Al-Khaliq, i.e., “The Creator?” So, since we can imitate the Attributes of Allah, what’s so strange about creating a sandstorm? It’s CREATION, Al-Khaliq.
Will we choose, though, to limit ourselves within the WESTERN OVER-EMPHASIS ON THE “RATIONAL,” just because w have INFERIORITY COMPLEXT, and are endlessly trying to prove to INFERIOR PEOPLE [“inferior” because of their being locked within the world of strict rationality] that we are “just as” rational as they are. Such a mindset is almost disgusting, and belittles the stature of OURSELVES, as well as the stature of The Holy Prophet Muhammad, sallalaho alaihe wa salaam.
I’m 70 years old. I hope to develop an online presence in which I will encourage people (not just Muslims) to STRETCH OUT; to be BOLD and learn to take advantage of the elements within the inner dimension of the human reality, and NOT impose “rational” limitations on ourselves that amount to nothing more than, or less than, the worship [It’s called SHIRK] of inferior, “rational” beings, sometimes identified as The Dajaal.
wasalaam,
Ronald Dennis Chism, aka, Abubakr Ben Ishmael Salahuddin, sole author of The Tomb of Jesus Christ Website, which I loaded to The Internet on Friday, December 10th, 1999, at 3:30 p.m., the time of Hazrat Isa’s, alaihe salaam, alleged “death” on the cross.
P.S. YOUNG MEN!!! SOAR!!! SOAR!!! SOAR to the highest “heavens” that re located within your INFINITE SELF!!! May Almighty Allah be With you always!!! Ameen
Just as I figured. Even followers of The Promised Messiah, alaihe salaam, now follow the totalitarian pattern of limiting free speech. I’m glad my test worked. Now I know what the REAL DEAL is. That’s the advantage of being on the planet for 70 years: You learn how to “Lift the Veil” and see what’s really underneath. And what’s clearly underneath is a NEW AHMADI, which has apparently joined the world of the globalist liberal left. Thank you!! Because now you’ve demonstrated [which is great!!] the truth in Qur’an, where Abraham appears to get some guarantee from Allah about his descendants. But Allah answers,
“My Covenant does not extend to the disbelievers.” So, a Prophet can appear. But there is no guarantee whatsoever that future followers of that Prophet will carry on his message and his COURAGE. Thank you again for revealing who you REALLY are.
wasalaam,
Abubakr
CORRECTION: “where Abraham appears to ATTEMPT to get some guarantee from Allah about his descendants…”
I left the word “attempt” out of the previous post. Abraham’s ATTEMPTS to get a guarantee, from Allah, that Allah’s Covenant would automatically extend to his descendants. But Allah, known His creation, told Abraham, “NO WAY, JOSE!!! It depends on taqwa. And if any of your descendants do not HAVE, or are LACKING in taqwa, My Covenant will not extend to them.”
I have learned to never look at what people SAY. What is important is to look at what people DO. People will even attempt to hide behind Allah’s REVELATION. But, as Jesus said (both in the Canonical Gospels as well as the non-Canonical Gospels, “All that is hidden will be revealed.” It has now been revealed how today’s young Ahmadis think: Like people in love with one of the most important tools of the totalitarian State: CENSORSHIP; control of the flow of information, induced, of course, by FEAR. (quote pitiful)